Needle Questions...

[knitting4babybear]

Perhaps I'm jumping the gun here a bit, but being a brand new knitter, :XX: of course I'm fascinated with everything I happen not to be able to do at the moment...

I won't ask ALL my questions about them RIGHT right now but I do have one or two...

1. Is there anything that cannot be knitted on regular straights? If, for instance, I were to find the alternate types more complicated to use - could I knit anything I might want to knit anyway, whether I get the hang of them or no? If the answer to this is yes...how then does one knit, say, a large blanket then? I'm knitting a slightly wider than normal scarf and I'm having trouble with room on my needles....I feel like I'd never get 82 cast on stitches on a straight....

2. I get the sense from my research that circulars somehow save some work on certain kinds of projects, as well as create more room to make larger ones. I have NO idea what DPN's are useful for...they just look dangerous and weird right now. Do these needle types have a specific designated purpose? Or are they just a matter of preference?


3. Are either hard to learn? It seems like once you know how to knit, these are just natural progressions, but they look hellacious!I can't imagine ever understanding how to us these things....(DPNs/circs)? :

4. And at what point do you recommend beginners try using them, if at all?

Thanks in advance...if this has been asked if someone could just point me in the right direction.... I searched but only came up with threads on EACH type of needle and use of them in a specific project or something...